A comparative study of fermented milk product standards and the discussion of key technical content under an international perspective

Fermented milks， as an important part of the global traditional diet， is crucial for the development of the industry and international trade. With the increasing demand for product innovation and international trade， fermented milk standards are facing challenges in terms of terminology definition， classification framework， ingredient requirements， and labeling. Based on a review of the development of China’s standards， this paper systematically compares China’s fermented milk standards with those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission， Australia and New Zealand， the United States， Japan， and other international organizations and countries in terms of scope， definition， classification， physicochemical indicators， requirements for fermenting microorganisms， and labeling. It summarizes the common principles followed by different international organizations and countries in terms of requirements for raw materials， processes， and fermenting microorganisms， as well as the differences in product classification， definition， ingredient requirements， use of food additives， requirements for live bacteria count， and labeling requirements. The paper also proposes key technical content that should be focused on in future standardization work. It is recommended to continue monitoring the impact of new raw materials and new products on standards， and to explore ways to optimize the definitions of terms， classifications， and labeling requirements. This will provide an effective safeguard for the improvement of China’s dairy standard system and the promotion of high-quality development in the industry.